A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of caster wheels, more specifically, a caster wheel with an electrical braking system.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with caster wheels. As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a caster wheel with an integrated electrical braking system.
The Lange Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,373) discloses a caster wheel for a dolly or a cart that has an electrically activated brake which prevents rolling and turning movement of the wheel. However, the caster wheel braking system is not a component that screws into the top mounting bracket of the caster.
The Strong Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,695) discloses a dampening or braking system for a wheel for a dolly or a cart in which an electrically controlled pin is activated to press against the wheel. Again, the electrically controlled braking system is not a component that screws into the top mounting bracket of a caster wheel.
The Lin Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,746) discloses a caster wheel braking system in which a pin or other device is pressed against the wheel to prevent movement. However, the pin presses against a lower cam and disk that act as a brake to stop or impede the rotational movement of the caster wheel.
The Milbredt Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,641) discloses a manually operated brake and steering lock for the caster wheel of a rolling device in which a person presses a spring activated tab against the wheel. However, the manually operated brake is not electrically operated, and is not a component that is screwed into the top mounting bracket of the caster wheel.
The Neumann Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,702) discloses a device for preventing the movement of a caster wheel from rolling and swiveling in which a device is pressed against the wheel. However, the locking device does not attach to the top surface of the caster wheel mounting bracket.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a caster wheel electronic braking system that screws into the top surface of the caster wheel mounting bracket. In this regard, the caster wheel having integrated electrical braking means departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.